Anthem breach may affect as many as 18m people

New York

HEALTH insurer Anthem Inc, which earlier this month reported that it was hit by a massive cyber breach, said on Tuesday that 8.8 million to 18.8 million people who were members of other Blue Cross Blue Shield plans could be victims in the attack.

Anthem, the second-largest US health insurer, is part of a national network of independently run Blue Cross Blue Shield plans through which BCBS customers can receive medical services when they are in an area where BCBS is operated by a different company.